Heat dissipating structure and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipating structure and a method of manufacturing same is disclosed. The heat dissipating structure includes a base being formed on one face with lower pipe-receiving grooves, a cover being formed on one face facing to the base with upper pipe-receiving grooves, and heat pipes disposed between the base and the cover. A heat-conducting substance is applied in the lower and upper pipe-receiving grooves, whereby when the cover is tightly pushed against the base, the heat pipes are tightly fitted in and between the lower and the upper pipe-receiving grooves. Radiating fins can be provided on the cover. When the base is attached at another face to an electronic device, heat produced by the electronic device can be effectively transferred to and dissipated from the heat dissipating structure, which has tightly connected base, heat pipes, and cover to ensure high heat dissipating effect without the need of tin soldering.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heat dissipating structure and a method of manufacturing same; and more particularly to a heat dissipating structure and a method of manufacturing same that avoids environmental pollution and hazards to human body caused by tin soldering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

According to currently available techniques, when using a heat pipe, the heat pipe has one end being located at a high-temperature interface and another end at a low-temperature interface, so that heat transfer in the heat pipe occurs. That is, at the high-temperature interface, heat passes through a metal wall of the heat pipe into a wick structure provided inside the heat pipe. A working fluid in the wick structure is heated and evaporates. The end of the heat pipe at the high-temperature interface is referred to as an evaporating section. The vapor of the evaporated working fluid gathers in a hollow pipe at the evaporation section and flows to the other end of the heat pipe. Since the other end of the heat pipe is in contact with the low-temperature interface, the vapor reaching at the other end starts condensing, and heat absorbed by the vapor passes through the wick structure. The other end of the heat pipe located at the low-temperature interface is referred to as a condensing section. In the condensing section, the vapor of the evaporated working fluid condenses to form liquid. The condensed liquid is moved by capillary action from the condensing section back to the evaporating section to evaporate again and repeat the cycle. The heat pipe employs the above heat transfer principle.

A heat pipe provides a lot of advantages in application thereof, mainly due to it unique structure and performance. The heat pipe is a hollow pipe and is therefore relatively light in weight compared to other metal bars having the same volume. The heat pipe can be easily associated with an instrument or apparatus. And, since the heat pipe is a closed pipe, it is not necessary to replenish it with the working fluid. The heat pipe contains no mechanical moving parts and is not subject to wearing, and is therefore durable for use without producing noise. With the principle employed by the heat pipe, the evaporation and condensation of the working fluid inside the heat pipe gives the heat pipe high thermal transfer efficiency and there is a very small difference in temperature between the high-temperature and the low-temperature interface.

Moreover, by employing the capillary action, the working fluid inside the heat pipe can cycle repeatedly even in a weightless state as in the outer space without the need of an external pressure. That is why the heat pipe is widely applied to heat sinks for effectively solving the heat dissipation problem encountered by the current electronic products with quickly increased operating speed.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional heat dissipating structure 1 having a base 11, a plurality of heat pipes 12, and a radiating fin assembly 13. The base 11 has an upper face 111 applied with solder paste 14. The heat pipes 12 are so disposed that their bottoms are in contact with the solder paste 14. The radiating fin assembly 13 is located on a top of the heat pipes 12, and solder paste 14 is also applied between the radiating fin assembly 13 and a top of the heat pipes 12. When the heat dissipating structure 1 is fully assembled, the solder paste is heated, so that the base 11 and the radiating fin assembly 13 are welded to the heat pipes 12.

The above-described conventional heat dissipating structure 1 has a main problem in implementation thereof. The heat pipes 12 must be welded to the base 11 and the radiating fin assembly 13 via the solder paste 14. By doing this, it tends to cause environmental pollution and hazards to human body. Meanwhile, the quality of welding via solder paste 14 has important influence on the heat dissipating effect of the heat dissipating structure 1. Therefore, high attention must be paid and high care must be taken when welding the heat dissipating structure 1 to ensure the quality thereof.

In brief, the conventional heat dissipating structure 1 has the following disadvantages: (1) causing environmental pollution; (2) bringing hazards to human body; and (3) requiring high manufacturing cost.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to overcome the above-mentioned problems by providing an improved heat dissipating structure and a method of manufacturing the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a heat dissipating structure that has a plurality of heat pipes tightly fitted between a base and a cover, and a heat-conducting substance being applied between the heat pipes and the base and the cover to ensure good heat conducting and dissipating effects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a heat dissipating structure without the need of tin soldering to thereby effectively avoid environmental pollution and hazards to human body caused by tin soldering as found in conventional method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure.

To achieve the above and other objects, the heat dissipating structure according to the present invention includes a base being formed on one face with lower pipe-receiving grooves; a plurality of heat pipes being disposed in the lower pipe-receiving grooves with a heat-conducting substance, such as a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, being applied between the lower pipe-receiving grooves and the heat pipes; and a cover being closed on the heat pipes and formed on one face with upper pipe-receiving grooves for engaging with the heat pipes, and a heat-conducting substance, such as a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, being applied between the upper pipe-receiving grooves and the heat pipes; whereby the cover can be tightly closed and connected to the base.

And, in a first embodiment of the method of manufacturing a heat dissipating structure according to the present invention, the following steps are included: positioning a plurality of heat pipes in lower pipe-receiving grooves formed on a base; closing a cover onto the heat pipes, so that upper pipe-receiving grooves correspondingly formed on the cover are engaged with the heat pipes; applying a heat-conducting substance, such as a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, between the heat pipes and the base and between the heat pipes and the cover; and pushing the cover against the base for them to tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat pipes therebetween.

And, in a second embodiment of the method of manufacturing a heat dissipating structure according to the present invention, the following steps are included: applying a heat-conducting substance in lower pipe-receiving grooves formed on a base; positioning a plurality of heat pipes in the lower pipe-receiving grooves on the base; applying a heat-conducting substance in upper pipe-receiving grooves formed on a cover; closing the cover onto the heat pipes with the upper pipe-receiving grooves engaging with the heat pipes; and pushing the cover against the base for them to tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat pipes therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional heat dissipating structure;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view of the conventional heat dissipating structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heat dissipating structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view of the heat dissipating structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the steps included in a first embodiment of a method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is another flowchart showing the steps included in a second embodiment of the method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 3 that is a perspective view of a heat dissipating structure 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the heat dissipating structure 2 includes a base 21, a plurality of heat pipes 22, and a cover 23. Please also refer to FIGS. 4 and 5. The base 21 has a first face with lower pipe-receiving grooves 211 provided thereon, and an opposite second face for bearing on an electronic device (not shown), so that heat produced by the electronic device during operation thereof can be transferred to the base 21 and dissipated from the heat dissipating structure 2. The lower pipe-receiving grooves 211 can fitly receive lower halves of the heat pipes 22 therein, and a heat-conducting substance 3 is applied between the heat pipes 22 and the lower pipe-receiving grooves 211. The heat-conducting substance 3 can be a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste. The cover 23 is closed onto the first face of the base 21, and has a first face with upper pipe-receiving grooves 231 provided thereon, and an opposite second face. The upper pipe-receiving grooves 231 can fitly receive upper halves of the heat pipes 22 therein, and the heat-conducting substance 3, such as a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, is also applied between the heat pipes 22 and the upper pipe-receiving grooves 231. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a heat dissipating structure 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a plurality of radiating fins 24 can be further provided on the second face of the cover 23. The radiating fins 24 can be additionally assembled to the cover 23 or be integrally formed with the cover 23.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure 2. Please refer to FIG. 7, in a first embodiment of the method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure 2 according to the present invention, the following steps are included:

-   Step S11: positioning a plurality of heat pipes 22 in lower     pipe-receiving grooves 211 formed on a base 21; -   Step S12: closing a cover 23 onto the heat pipes 22, so that upper     pipe-receiving grooves 231 correspondingly formed on the cover 23     are engaged with the heat pipes 22; -   Step S13: applying a heat-conducting substance 3 between the heat     pipes 22 and the base 21 and between the heat pipes 22 and the cover     23; and -   Step S14: pushing the cover 23 against the base 21 for them to     tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat     pipes 22 therebetween.

The heat dissipating structure 2 formed through above-described steps has tightly closed and connected base 21 and cover 23 while the heat pipes 22 are also tightly fitted in and between the lower and upper pipe-receiving grooves 211, 213. Whereby, when a lower face of the base 21 of the heat dissipating structure 2 is flatly bearing on an electronic device (not shown), heat produced by the electronic device during operation thereof is transferred to the heat pipes 22 via the base 21. The heat-conducting substance 3, which can be a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, applied between the base 21 and the heat pipes 22 functions to more firmly connect the base 21 to the heat pipes 22 to enable even better heat conducting effect, allowing the heat produced by the electronic device to transfer to the cover 23 via the heat pipes 22. Meanwhile, the heat transferred to and absorbed by the cover 23 can be radiated from radiating fins 24 being further provided on the cover 23 and dissipated into ambient air. And, the heat-conducting substance 3, which can be a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, applied between the cover 23 and the heat pipes 22 functions to more firmly connect the cover 23 to the heat pipes 22 to enable even better heat conducting effect, allowing the heat produced by the electronic device to be effectively dissipated via the heat dissipating structure 2. Therefore, the heat dissipating structure 2 manufactured according to the method of the present invention can have tightly assembled base 21, cover 23 and heat pipes 22 and provide high heat dissipating effect without the need of welding via solder paste.

In a second embodiment of the method of manufacturing the heat dissipating structure 2 according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 8, the following steps are included:

-   Step S21: applying a heat-conducting substance 3 in lower     pipe-receiving grooves 211 formed on a base 21; -   Step S22: positioning a plurality of heat pipes 22 in the lower     pipe-receiving grooves 211 on the base 21; -   Step S23: applying a heat-conducting substance 3 in upper     pipe-receiving grooves 231 formed on a cover 23; -   Step S24: closing the cover 23 onto the heat pipes 22 with the upper     pipe-receiving grooves 231 engaging with the heat pipes 22; -   Step S25: pushing the cover 23 against the base 21 for them to     tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat     pipes 22 therebetween.

In forming the heat dissipating structure 2 through the above-described steps, the heat-conducting substance 3 is first applied in the lower and upper pipe-receiving grooves 211, 231 on the base 21 and the cover 23, respectively, and the base 21 and the cover 23 are tightly closed and connected to each other to tightly clamping the heat pipes 22 in and between the lower and upper pipe-receiving grooves 211, 213. Meanwhile, with the heat-conducting substance 3, which can be a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, or other types of thermal paste, applied between the heat pipes 22 and the base 21 and the cover 23, the heat pipes 22 are in tight contact with the base 21 and the cover 23 to enable high heat conducting effect, allowing heat produced by an electronic device (not shown) during operation thereof to be transferred to the cover 23 via the heat pipes 22. Meanwhile, the heat transferred to and absorbed by the cover 23 can be radiated from radiating fins 24 being further provided on the cover 23 and dissipated into ambient air. Therefore, the heat produced by the electronic device (not shown) bearing on the base 21 can be effectively dissipated via the heat dissipating structure 2. The heat dissipating structure 2 manufactured according to the method of the present invention has tightly assembled base 21, cover 23 and heat pipes 22 and provides high heat dissipating effect without the need of welding using solder paste.

In brief, the heat dissipating structure and the method of manufacturing same according to the present invention has the following advantages: (1) avoiding the problem of environmental pollution caused by tin soldering; (2) reducing the possible hazards to human body; and (3) allowing reduced manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A heat dissipating structure, comprising: a base being formed with at least one lower pipe-receiving groove; a plurality of heat pipes being disposed in the at least one lower pipe-receiving groove, and a heat-conducting substance being applied between the at least one lower pipe-receiving groove and the heat pipes; and a cover being formed with at least one upper pipe-receiving groove for engaging with the heat pipes; and a heat-conducting substance being applied between the at least one upper pipe-receiving groove and the heat pipes; and wherein, the cover is tightly closed and connected to the base.
 2. The heat dissipating structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of radiating fins provided on the cover.
 3. The heat dissipating structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting substance can be any one of a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, and other types of thermal paste.
 4. A method of manufacturing a heat-dissipating structure, comprising the following steps: positioning a plurality of heat pipes in lower pipe-receiving grooves formed on a base; closing a cover onto the heat pipes, so that upper pipe-receiving grooves correspondingly formed on the cover are engaged with the heat pipes; applying a heat-conducting substance between the heat pipes and the base and between the heat pipes and the cover; and pushing the cover against the base for them to tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat pipes therebetween.
 5. The method of manufacturing a heat-dissipating structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heat-conducting substance can be any of a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, and any other type of thermal paste.
 6. A method of manufacturing a heat-dissipating structure, comprising the following steps: applying a heat-conducting substance in lower pipe-receiving grooves formed on a base; positioning a plurality of heat pipes in the lower pipe-receiving grooves on the base; applying a heat-conducting substance in upper pipe-receiving grooves formed on a cover; closing the cover onto the heat pipes with the upper pipe-receiving grooves engaging with the heat pipes; and pushing the cover against the base for them to tightly connect to each other and thereby fixedly hold the heat pipes therebetween.
 7. The method of manufacturing a heat-dissipating structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the heat-conducting substance can be any one of a heat-conducting paste, a heat-conducting gel, and any other type of thermal paste. 